1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains generally to the management of digital image files. More particularly, the invention relates to a method and a system for indexing and tracking digital images.
2. Description of the Related Art
The addition of an automatic photograph feeder (APF) to a desktop flatbed scanner permits a computer user to easily and quickly convert a “shoebox” of ordinary print photographs into a digital format, enabling the photographs to be stored in the mass memory of a personal, notebook, or handheld computer. A drawback of such automated digital imaging and storage systems is the difficulty of indexing, sorting, tracking and ultimately retrieving the stored digital images where, for example, tens or even hundreds of photographs have been scanned into the computer system. A common problem is that the arcane names or numerical identifications automatically assigned to computerized image files are difficult to decipher so that the user is often unable to determine the contents of a particular file from the name alone. Thus, a computer user can end up with numerous digital photographs or images that are difficult to locate or identify by name.
This problem also exists with many of today's digital cameras.